Local book awards site Amazonclicks.com is being bullied by the giant Amazon group into giving up it's name. A spokesperson for AmazonClicks told me today they had threatened to take the site, which supports aspiring authors, off their Associates program, he went on,
"We won't be bullied and the more they try the more we will fight back. It's our domain name!
AmazonClicks.com carries very clear disclaimers stating the precise relationship with Amazon on every page of the website, Amazon.co.uk approved the name and have worked with the site n their own Associates program for many months accepting hundreds of new customers and taking orders via the site."
A number of other alleged unethical practices are claimed and there is even talk of a class action law suit being filed on behalf of a large number of authors.
Bob
Thursday, February 19, 2009
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
Hard Luck for Boaters
They're at it again!
This time the developers want to destroy our beautiful old careening hard to make way for plastic super yachts. They just seem hell-bent on ripping up every inch of our island and turning it into another bland over-commercialised non-entity.
The fact is they are desperate to spend their money on some kind of capital project, let's face it interest rates are rubbish and there's not much to excite investors at the moment. So build, build, build - it's a great time to exploit low labour and material costs and achieve future returns when sanity is restored to the markets. The only problem is, to build you have destroy what's already there.
So our lovely old careening hard is the latest target.
I can't help wondering if his has been thought through. Large yachts need lots of water and one of the pluses about the hard is that it dries out so well. So to keep the water in they will need a large gate and then access will only be possible in restricted tidal windows. Will this restriction and the noise of the busy town traffic appeal to the super-rich? Perhaps the area will be sealed off behind security gates to protect these valuable yachts from us plebs who like to wander around this area. And how many super-duper yachts do they expect? The last time I looked you would struggle to maneuver more than two or three at a time especially if the promised improved access for the Trident is fulfilled.
No guys, this isn't a good idea. Go and build somewhere else and leave our heritage alone!
Bob
This time the developers want to destroy our beautiful old careening hard to make way for plastic super yachts. They just seem hell-bent on ripping up every inch of our island and turning it into another bland over-commercialised non-entity.
The fact is they are desperate to spend their money on some kind of capital project, let's face it interest rates are rubbish and there's not much to excite investors at the moment. So build, build, build - it's a great time to exploit low labour and material costs and achieve future returns when sanity is restored to the markets. The only problem is, to build you have destroy what's already there.
So our lovely old careening hard is the latest target.
I can't help wondering if his has been thought through. Large yachts need lots of water and one of the pluses about the hard is that it dries out so well. So to keep the water in they will need a large gate and then access will only be possible in restricted tidal windows. Will this restriction and the noise of the busy town traffic appeal to the super-rich? Perhaps the area will be sealed off behind security gates to protect these valuable yachts from us plebs who like to wander around this area. And how many super-duper yachts do they expect? The last time I looked you would struggle to maneuver more than two or three at a time especially if the promised improved access for the Trident is fulfilled.
No guys, this isn't a good idea. Go and build somewhere else and leave our heritage alone!
Bob
Thursday, February 5, 2009
Herm at Risk
I'm sure the management of Herm island are keen to find new income streams but their latest idea to allow beach parties on the beautiful Shell Beach is totally against the agreement they signed to maintain the island's tranquility.
Shell Beach is one of the few places left in the islands where it is still possible to escape the noise makers. There is provision for party goers on the Whitehouse Lawn so why ruin this beautiful landscape?
What will be next, a Booze Cruises around the Humps? Maybe a beer can throwing competition at the seals or puffins?
The very last thing that Herm needs is a crowd of party going drunks defacing it's most precious gem.
I do hope this isn't a sign of things to come with the new owners.
Bob
Shell Beach is one of the few places left in the islands where it is still possible to escape the noise makers. There is provision for party goers on the Whitehouse Lawn so why ruin this beautiful landscape?
What will be next, a Booze Cruises around the Humps? Maybe a beer can throwing competition at the seals or puffins?
The very last thing that Herm needs is a crowd of party going drunks defacing it's most precious gem.
I do hope this isn't a sign of things to come with the new owners.
Bob
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
HMS Victory found - where is the treasure?
The forerunner of Nelson's Flagship sank off Alderney on 4th October 1744 with a loss of 1,100 lives.
After many years of searching the sea bed, most recently using advanced technologies, the wreck of Victory has now been found by a Florida based exploration company.
This important 175 ft naval warship is lying close to the Casquetes rock north of Guernsey.
No sign yet of the 100,000 gold coins said to be on board when Victory was seperated from escorting vessels during a storm.
Bob
After many years of searching the sea bed, most recently using advanced technologies, the wreck of Victory has now been found by a Florida based exploration company.
This important 175 ft naval warship is lying close to the Casquetes rock north of Guernsey.
No sign yet of the 100,000 gold coins said to be on board when Victory was seperated from escorting vessels during a storm.
Bob
Friday, January 23, 2009
Too Taxing for Ken!
The ex Mayor has got it into his head that despite all of the efforts of the Inland Revenue, Guernsey and the other Channel Islands are depriving the UK Exchequer of huge amounts of tax revenues!
What seems to have alluded Ken is that the island, like the UK, is free to set its own regime and he doesn't seem to object to the wealthy foreign nationals who use the UK to avoid higher tax rates in their own countries.
It also seems to have escaped Ken's attention that Guernsey isn't part of the UK. The island gets no National Health Service, no UK pensions, no essential services, no voice in Government, nothing much at all in fact....unless of course you count defense and perhaps Ken can remind us what happened when we last needed that!
Bob
What seems to have alluded Ken is that the island, like the UK, is free to set its own regime and he doesn't seem to object to the wealthy foreign nationals who use the UK to avoid higher tax rates in their own countries.
It also seems to have escaped Ken's attention that Guernsey isn't part of the UK. The island gets no National Health Service, no UK pensions, no essential services, no voice in Government, nothing much at all in fact....unless of course you count defense and perhaps Ken can remind us what happened when we last needed that!
Bob
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
Guernsey States Deputy in Racist Row
The number 2 in command of the States of Guernsey, Bernard Flouquet is so far refusing to stand down following a racist joke made about President Elect Barack Obama.
Others however are out to bring him to justice and a vote of no confidence has been called to throw him out should he continue to hang on to his role as Deputy Chief Minister.
It is clear that his remark was highly offensive to islanders who do not wish to be branded as racist. Nobody I have spoken to supports Flouquet although some seem to suggest he was simply stupid rather than malicious and should therefore be spared the sack.
It is clear however that stupid or otherwise he isn't suitable to represent the people of Guernsey and is completely out of touch with their views. He should leave, and not just the senior role, he should step down from government altogether.
Islanders do not want any hint of racism from their elected representatives or senior officials.
Bob
Novel Features Guernsey, Alderney and Herm
A recently released novel 'Rachel's Shoe' set in the islands is tipped to be a future movie by some reviewers!
Atmospheric scenes from the period spanning the occupation to the upbeat 1970s are the backdrop to this riveting story about a young Jewish girl rescued from the German forces on Alderney by a local lad.
The author, local man Peter Lihou created his debut novel to capture the images he remembers from his grandparents who lived through the occupation years in Guernsey.
Pre-publication sales came in from as far away as Tasmania, Spain and several parts of the USA where interest in literature from this period remains high.
A webiste promoting the book can be found at www.rachelsshoe.com
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